In some communication networks, such as cellular mobile network, various kinds of end devices may be used to access the communication network. More detailed knowledge about the end devices may be beneficial for various purposes. While for example usage of individual device identifiers (e.g., in the form of an International Mobile Equipment Identity) is known for mobile devices, corresponding identifiers may not be available for other device types. Further, for privacy reasons such device identifiers may be accessible only in certain parts of the communication network.
For example, in some cases a data connection of a user equipment (UE) may be shared with one or more other devices, which is also referred to as “tethering”. Accordingly, although the data connection of this UE is associated with a single subscription, which may be intended to be used with a certain device type, e.g., with a mobile phone, it is also used by other multiple devices, or even simultaneously by multiple devices. For example, tethering may allow for using a data connection of a mobile phone also for a tablet computer or Personal Computer (PC).
Such different device types may also have characteristic usage patterns, and a data plan of a subscription may be determined according to such characteristic usage pattern. For example, the characteristic usage pattern of a mobile phone may result in lower traffic volume than the characteristic usage pattern of a PC. Accordingly, tethering activity may also affect the network operator's costs due to the traffic volume which needs to be handled in the communication network. It may therefore be desirable for the network operator to detect tethering activity and to take appropriate measures to limit such tethering activity. On the other hand, allowing tethering activity in some cases may be desirable, e.g., if a subscriber pays for a subscription feature allowing tethering activity. Also, allowing tethering between a mobile phone and a tablet might be considered to be acceptable due to similar resulting traffic volumes, while allowing tethering of a mobile phone with respect to a PC may be considered to be not acceptable. Accordingly, usage of differentiated traffic control policies with respect to tethering is desirable. For detection of tethering activity, more detailed knowledge about end devices connected directly or indirectly to the communication network may be helpful.
Known solutions for tethering detection may rely on heuristic combination of rules that take into account different aspects of user activity, e.g., a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) user agent field in user-generated messages, a number of parallel data traffic flows, or registered device of the user. Significant manual effort may be required to define such rules. Specific solutions which allow for detecting tethering and enforcing corresponding traffic control policies are for example described in WO 2012/129113 A1, or “Case Study: Sandvine Tethered Device Detection Solution and Service Revenue Enhancement” by Sandvine, published in the Internet under www.sandvine.com. The latter document also mentions the possibility of inspection of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) User Agent field, which is however considered to be insufficient for detecting tethering activity.
Knowledge about end devices using a communication network may also be useful for other purposes than tethering detection. For example, such knowledge may allow a service provider to offer services which are better adapted to the utilized end device.
Accordingly, there is a need for techniques which allow for efficiently providing enhanced knowledge about end devices connected to a communication network.